Even in 2024, there is still an argument on the Internet, that is, buying new energy is an IQ tax, but in the actual car buying environment, especially family cars, fuel vehicles of the same level are basically unable to compete with new energy models, even if many consumers who are anxious about the battery life of pure electric models, they have to look at the plug-in hybrid of the same level.
In addition to the mandatory pure electric models, PHEV models have also become the "sweet and sweet" of joint venture car companies, including North and South Volkswagen, Dongfeng Nissan, SAIC-GM, etc., have announced their own PHEV technology, and put related models on the agenda, so the question is, why not choose the faster research and development, lower cost, Li Xiang vigorously touted the extended range model, but choose the relatively difficult PHEV model?
First of all, the author wants to refute a popular saying on the Internet, that is, "choosing to extend the range is equal to half the success", citing examples such as ideal and leap to "make a fortune" based on the power of range extension, thinking that it is by virtue of the advantages of range extension that these two brands have become successful.
But objectively speaking, the key to the recognition of the two consumers is to achieve the ultimate in market positioning, such as ideal, the main thing is the word "family", what refrigerator, color TV, large sofa, etc., all provide the same price before, and even the functions and experiences that the more ** models do not have; Leap has achieved the ultimate in cost performance, and there is indeed no product that can be rolled up compared to it at the same price.
It is difficult to say that the extended range power has played a great role in the process of their continuous increase in sales, maybe if you change the powertrain of a PHEV, the sales will grow faster, after all, BYD, China's largest independent brand, is not also the main PHEV?
Then there is the technical aspect, if you look at range extension and PHEV from the most basic structural level, in fact, you can find that the two are completely different: PHEV is based on fuel vehicles to do addition, adding batteries, motors, and retaining the basic architecture of complete ice fuel vehicles; The range extension is to subtract from the pure electric vehicle, cut off part of the battery, and install a "power bank" that uses oil to generate electricity in the saved space to charge the battery at any time.
So from a technical point of view, although PHEV and range extension are called hybrid models, but the two are completely different routes, for the new forces, self-developed engines, gearboxes and other parts of the difficulty is indeed great, but for joint ventures, isn't this their technology at the bottom of the box? Only one set of electronic control system needs to be added, and it can be transformed into a new energy, which is not only lower in cost, but also relatively faster in product development cycle.
And from the actual use of the car, the advantages of PHEV are obviously more comprehensive, for example, the current mainstream electrical intelligence function, equipped with a large battery PHEV model experience can be the same as the extended range, but in the working conditions of long-distance travel, the experience of PHEV models is completely more than the extended range, especially when the battery power bottoms out, not only has more sufficient power, fuel consumption is also much less than the extended range model, the ideal has not been because of more than 10 feed fuel consumption by many car owners complained?
To sum up, as long as the engine of the range extender starts to start, it is a short board in front of PHEV, especially multi-gear PHEV, whether it is fuel consumption or power.
In fact, there is another question, that is, why does the joint venture not choose to develop a range-extended model on its own pure electric platform? In this regard, the author's point of view is that the original product line and chain advantages of the joint venture are quite huge, but if the extended-range electric vehicle is built based on the pure electric platform, these advantages cannot be fully utilized, and in the future, with the further shrinkage of the fuel vehicle market, this part of the resources is equivalent to waste;
In contrast, the PHEV model can actually be seen as a "fuel vehicle+" version, which can better use the existing advantages, so as to have a cost advantage over the extended-range electric vehicle. It can be said that PHEV models are the continuation of joint venture fuel models, and in the future, they will form a "dual-track parallel" model together with pure electric vehicles, which is undoubtedly the best strategic choice for joint venture car companies.
Write at the end
In fact, for joint venture car companies, no matter what kind of power architecture is adopted, the key to whether they can stand up in the increasingly fierce new energy war in 2024 is still in the three words "cost performance".
Therefore, now the joint venture car companies plan to renew their efforts in the field of PHEV, and cost performance must become its strategic focus, and according to the information obtained from relevant interviews and other channels, a number of joint venture executives said that they will give large batteries, high intelligence and other configurations on the new model, if you give a good **, then these new PHEV models are still very worth looking forward to, what do you think?